10 Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Cockroaches From Your Home

Cockroaches are creepy pests that invade our home and do not leave any time soon. The problem is once our home is invaded by cockroaches it is virtually impossible to eliminate them without professional help. Cockroaches not only look nauseating while feeding on food items in the kitchen, but they also spread diseases. So, the best way to tackle this infestation would be to nip them in the bud. However, before spending big bucks on professional help, there are a few tricks that you can try at home to get rid of these pests.

Here Are Some Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Cockroaches From Your Home

1. Borax:

Borax is as effective as commercial sprays when it comes to getting rid of cockroaches. Mix 3 parts borax with 1 part sugar and sprinkle the mixture in the places where cockroaches frequent. Borax dehydrates the exoskeleton of the cockroaches thereby getting rid of them. However, it is better to use borax with caution if there are kids or pets at home.

2. Coffee Grounds:

Who doesn’t like the smell of coffee? Apparently the cockroaches don’t. Coffee grounds can work as a repellent to keep the cockroaches away. All you need to do is sprinkle some ground coffee in areas where the infestation is high.

3. Bay Leaves:

Bay leaves have a pungent, strong smell that is not preferred by cockroaches. Just crush some bay leaves and place them in the corners, nooks and crevices to discourage cockroaches from setting up their nest. Remember, the stronger the bay leaves smell, the better they work at keeping cockroaches away.

4. Baking Soda:

This is similar to the borax method. Just mix equal quantities of baking soda and sugar and sprinkle the mixture in the infested areas. The sugar will attract the cockroaches while the baking soda will kill them when ingested.

5. Petroleum Jelly:

You can make an easy cockroach trap using petroleum jelly. First, take a jar and coat its inner rim with petroleum jelly. Place fragrant fruits or eatables inside the jar and leave it open overnight. The cockroaches will be attracted to the food inside the jar but will be unable to escape out of the jar because of the petroleum jelly. Once they are trapped, you can dispose the contents of the jar.

6. Locate Nests:

You will have to locate the cockroach nest to get rid of them permanently from your home. You can do this by switching on the lights in your kitchen during the night. The cockroaches will panic and flee back to their nests. Just follow their path to locate their nests.

7. Cut The Food Supply:

Cockroaches thrive in damp, dark places where food is available. So it is no wonder that you find plenty of cockroaches in your kitchen. To discourage cockroaches from inhabiting your kitchen, keep all the food items properly closed. This goes for the garbage too. Keep the garbage bin closed at all times to keep cockroaches from feeding on the garbage.

8. Listerine And Dish Soap:

Combine equal parts of Listerine and water. Add a drop or two of liquid dish soap and mix well. Take the solution in a spray bottle and spray it right on the cockroaches when you see them.

9. Fabric Softener:

Combine 3 parts fabric softener liquid with 2 parts water and mix well. Take the solution in a spray bottle and use it as you would use a commercial anti-cockroach spray.

10. Garlic, Onion And Pepper Spray:

You will need a garlic clove, onion paste and one tablespoon of cayenne pepper for making this spray. Soak all the above ingredients in about one liter of water to extract the flavors. Now, add one tablespoon of liquid dish soap to the solution and mix well. Take the mixture in a spray bottle and spray in the affected areas. The pungent smell of garlic, onion and the hot cayenne pepper should keep these pests away.